Jay-Z is suing a
children’s bookstore.
The 49-year-old rap
star – who is one of the wealthiest people in the music business – has decided
to take legal action against the store in Sydney, Australia, for using his
image and lyrics, according to the New York Times newspaper.
It’s claimed that the
row centres on a book called ‘A B to Jay-Z’, which re-jigs a line from the
rapper’s chart-topping hit ’99 Problems’.
The reworked line
reads: ”If you’re having alphabet problems I feel bad for your son, I got 99
problems but my ABCs ain’t one.”
What’s more, the book
features Jay’s likeness, as well as other well-known hip-hop stars like Eminem
and the Notorious BIG.
Lawyers acting on
behalf of Jay have sent several cease-and-desist letters to the store over the
last two years, and they have described the product as a ”deliberate and
knowing attempt to trade off the reputation and goodwill” of Jay’s image.
The legal team also
say that the store made a ”false and misleading representation” suggesting
that Jay had approved of the book.
In response to the
dispute, Jessica Chiha, the company’s owner, told the New York Post newspaper’s
Page Six column: ”We are unbelievably disappointed to find ourselves caught in
a legal battle with someone whose music we love and adore.
”We refer to a whole
host of hip-hop artists in the books, but to have someone like Jay-Z file legal
proceedings is daunting beyond belief and hugely dispiriting. We maintain we
have done nothing wrong and intend to give it everything we’ve got for common
sense and common good to prevail, to the extent we can fight the fight.”
